Research Guides: Author's Rights: Copyright

What is copyright?

The right to reproduce the work
The right to distribute the work
The right to prepare derivative works
The right to perform the work
The right to display the work
The right to license any of the above to third parties

In the United States, copyright exists from the moment of creation, and lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. Copyright protection is automatic as soon as a work exists in fixed form. You can register your copyright with the US Copyright Office but you don't need to do that for your copyright to exist.

Copyright resources

Copyright Basics Research Guide
This guide focuses on addressing common copyright questions for the UND community. It includes information on copyright in a teaching and learning context as well as contact information for assistance from UND legal counsel.
U.S. Copyright Office FAQ
The US Copyright Office maintains a list of answers to frequently asked questions about copyright. Want to know how copyright differs from patents or trademarks? What kind of work is eligible for copyright protection? How to register your copyright? You'll find answers here.
Stanford University Libraries Copyright Overview
Covers different aspects of copyright with a focus on copyright for educational use. Start here if you have questions on permissions, fair use, the public domain, or copyright research.
University of California's Copyright Guide
Discusses how to incorporate other's work into your scholarship and what author's rights you retain upon publishing. Has a particular focus on how to address copyright concerns in your thesis/dissertation.
An Introduction to Publication Agreements for Authors
An explanation of authors rights as they pertain to publishing agreements. Contains links to additional copyright resources at the end.
How Can I Share It
How Can I Share It can help you get the most out of scholarly sharing. Find relevant information and practical tools to ensure your articles can be shared with your colleagues quickly and easily. Discover how sharing can be simple and seamless and enhance scholarly collaboration.
Termination of Transfer
This tool, created and jointly-stewarded by Authors Alliance and Creative Commons, is designed to help authors navigate the "termination of transfer" provisions of U.S. copyright law. These provisions allow creators to regain copyrights to creative works they may have signed away decades ago. This tool helps authors understand if those termination rights exist, and if not, when they may exist in the future. With rights back in hand, authors have many options for getting their works in front of new audiences, from sharing their works with the public using a Creative Commons license to negotiating new agreements with publishers.